Wireless radio communication systems often support group call among communication units, such as two-way radio transceivers (radios), and the like. Group call allows two or more radios to be configured into a talk group such that transmission from one member of the group will be received by other members of the group. Accordingly, several radios may be accessed simultaneously without having to uniquely identify particular radios. Additionally, unlike a transmission on a shared communication channel that is monitored by all units in the communication system, group call affords a certain degree of privacy in that only members of the group may participate in the communications.
In a typical communication system, group call capability is configured by programming, or otherwise configuring, a radio with certain parameters to support group call. Generally, group membership is predetermined and groups are assigned to particular switch positions or modes of a radio. In a tightly coupled system, such as a trunked radio communication system, a controller is provided for managing communications among various radios. The controller provides radio talk group management through a corresponding central database or table, usually containing preassigned group memberships. Group call operation is typically configured through a combination of software programming within an individual radio, and group configuration parameters selected from the central database. In a loosely coupled communication system, such as a conventional two-way communication system, radio talk groups are pre-configured using a programming tool, such that the radio operates on one or more radio talk groups when a particular operation mode is selected. This pre-configuration process requires access to common information which must be programmed into the radio transceiver during the configuration process.
Radio communication systems are being developed in which low-tiered, low cost subscriber units share several communication channels under a particular channel use protocol. These radios are designed to operate on the shared communication channels without the aid of an infrastructure, such as a base station or controller, which manages frequency assignments, user access, and other operational aspects of a radio communication system. For example, a radio may be available pre-configured to operate on a set of several hundred communication channels under a particular protocol. These radios would offer a simple, user-friendly interface, and would be available to a customer ready for operation with minimal user configuration.
It is desirable to offer a system in which a radio group call feature would be available on the above-mentioned low cost radios. Group call configuration has typically required factory preprogramming, or the use of a radio software programming tool. Trunked communication systems provide additional infrastructure based configuration procedures, such as through a controller. Preferably, low cost radio systems would be offered to customers without the need for such complex configuration requirements. Thus, there exists a need to provide customer, or end user, configurable group talk capability, without the need for infrastructure support, or expensive programming tools.